Pessimism: A History and a Criticism, Volume 1Henry S. King & Company, 1877 - 477 pages |
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Common terms and phrases
action active impulse æsthetic affirmation appears arises Arthur Schopenhauer attainment balance of happiness belief bodily character civilisation conceive conception consciousness desire distinctly doctrine doubt effect element emotional enjoyment evanescence evil example existence experience external fact factor favourable feeling force gratification hedonism hedonist Hegel human idea of happiness ideal imagination individual influence instinctive intellectual intelligence intensity involves J. S. Mill life's limits mankind means ment mental mental events metaphysical mind misery mode moral natural selection nervous noumenon object Omar Khayyám optimism and pessimism optimistic organic pessimist philosophy physical pleasure and pain positive possible present principle progress pursuit question reached realised reality reason recognised reflection relation representation result satisfaction Schopen Schopenhauer's scientific seek seems sensation sense social sources speak subjective idealism supposed temperament theory thing thought tion truth Uncon unconscious unconscious mind volition whole wholly wise worth writers
Popular passages
Page 305 - It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.
Page 24 - THE flower that smiles to-day To-morrow dies; All that we wish to stay Tempts and then flies. What is this world's delight? Lightning that mocks the night, Brief even as bright.
Page 16 - Dreams, books, are each a world ; and books, we know, Are a substantial world, both pure and good : Bound these, with tendrils strong as flesh and blood, Our pastime and our happiness will grow.
Page 321 - Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend, Before we too into the Dust descend; Dust into Dust, and under Dust, to lie, Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and— sans End! Alike for those who for TODAY prepare, And those that after some TOMORROW stare, A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries, 'Fools, your Reward is neither Here nor There.
Page 25 - tis not in The harmony of things, — this hard decree, This uneradicable taint of sin, This boundless upas, this all-blasting tree...
Page 17 - I have seen all the works that are done under the sun ; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Page 24 - Count o'er the joys thine hours have seen, Count o'er thy days from anguish free, And know, whatever thou hast been, 'Tis something better not to be.
Page 56 - All nature is but art, unknown to thee; All chance, direction, which thou canst not see; All discord, harmony not understood; All partial evil, universal good. And, spite of pride, in erring reason's spite, One truth is clear,
Page 58 - What can be added to the happiness of the man who is in health, who is out of debt, and has a clear conscience...
Page 315 - tis all a cheat; Yet, fooled with hope, men favour the deceit; Trust on, and think to-morrow will repay: To-morrow's falser than the former day; Lies worse, and, while it says, we shall be blest With some new joys, cuts off what we possest.